The country’s culture can be expressed in two words, “Pura Vida.” That common phrase translates to say “Pure Life.” The expression is used a lot in Costa Rica because it reflects the relaxed and joyful lifestyle in Costa Rica. This expression is also used when conducting business in Costa Rica. Their professional meetings tend to start with friendly conversation before getting down to business, which creates a more comfortable environment for discussion. Being on time is highly valued for more formal meetings, and for informal meetings they usually follow “tico time,” which is a term that represents a more flexible approach to time. Tico Time reflects the Pura Vida lifestyle of being more relaxed and laid-back, even when it comes to business. In Costa Rica they are very good about balancing business with a Pura Vida lifestyle, and being punctual when it’s necessary.
I feel inspired after interacting with multiple business owners in Costa Rica. Many of them started their business with nothing, and have turned their business into a huge success. These business owners talked about the failures they faced along the way, but the value for their culture and purpose helped them persevere. A few companies we visited were: Britt Coffee (they grow their own coffee beans and use special bags that preserve the flavor and smell of the coffee), Sibu Chocolate (they make their own chocolate with fruit from the rainforest), Toucan Rescue Ranch (they genuinely care for the animals they have rescued and work on releasing them back into the wild), Zipline Canopy Tour (he started with no money, just a few zipline cables and harnesses and now runs his own zipline business). There were even more businesses we visited during our time abroad that were started by entrepreneurs with limited resources, which was truly inspiring.
